Apparatus for chemically cleaning textiles or the like

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS FOR CHEMICALLY CLEANING TEXTILES OR THE LIKE WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH ITS OWN, PREFERABLY ELECTRICALLY HEATED, STEAM-GENERATING MEANS CONNECTED TO AT LEAST ONE DEVICE OF THE CLEANING APPARATUS WHICH IS TO BE HEATED BY A CLOSED CIRCUIT ARRANGED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE STEAM PRODUCED BY THE STEAM-GENERATING MEANS WILL FLOW INTO THE DEVICE TO HEAT THE LATTER WHILE THE CONDENSATE FORMING IN THE CLOSED CIRCUIT AND IN THE DEVICE WILL FLOW BACK INTO THE STEAM-GENERATING MEANS.

E. BIESINGER APPARATUS FOR CHEMICALLY CLEANING TEXTILES OR 'l'III'I IAIKF.

Filed Oct. 23, 1969 I 4 Shoots-Shoot 1 omwmucou Now INVENTOR.

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Alli/7r Dec. 7; 1971 v E. BIESINGER 3,625,030

APPARATUS FOR CHEMICALLY CLEANING TEXTILES OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 23, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOIL' c/w/ u mam/rm.

Dec. 7, 1971 Q E. BIESINGER 3,625,030

APPARATUS FOR CHEMICAL-LY CLEANING TEXTILES OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 23, 1969 4 Sheets-Shoat 3 mvmron sewn KISS/A1664.

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41 amv Dec. 7, 1971 E. BIESINGER 3,625,030

APPARATUS FOR CHEMICALLY ems/sums TEXTILES on mm mm;

Filed 001.25, 1969 4 Sheets-Shoot 4 United States Patent Office 3,625,030 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 3,625,030 APPARATUS FOR CHEMICALLY CLEANING TEXTILES OR THE LIKE Erwin Biesinger, Neckarhalde 90, Rottenburg, Germany Filed Oct. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 868,824 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 24, 1968, P 18 04 864.1

Int. Cl. D06f 39/04, 43/08 US. Cl. 6818 C 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for chemically cleaning textiles or the like which is provided with its own, preferably electrically heated, steam-generating means connected to at least one device of the cleaning apparatus which is to be heated by a closed circuit arranged in such a manner that the steam produced by the steam-generating means will flow into the device to heat the latter while the condensate forming in the closed circuit and in the device will flow back into the steam-generating means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for chemically cleaning textiles or the like in which the apparatus is provided with a distilling device or another device to be heated.

Practically all apparatus for chemically cleaning of textiles have to be supplied with heat energy either to carry out the cleaning and the subsequent drying process or for recovering the solvent for the chemical cleaning medium. Such heat energies are usually supplied to the cleaning apparatus in form of steam which is generated in a separate steam-generating apparatus connected to a plurality of cleaning apparatuses. In order to be independent from a separate stem-generating apparatus, it has already been suggested to provide chemical cleaning apparatus in which the various devices to be heated are directly heated by electrical heating means. The proper heat transmission between the electrical heating means and the devices to be heated cause, however, when the devices are directly heated by electrical heating means, considerable difficulties. In such apparatus there occur regions which are easily overheated, which in certain cleaning apparatus may lead to decomposition of the solvent used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus for chemical cleaning textiles or the like in which the necessary heat energy is provided independent from a separate steam-generating apparatus and in which overheating of certain portions of the apparatus is positively prevented and uniform heating of the devices of the apparatus which have to be heated is assured.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a cleaning apparatus of the aforementioned kind which is simple in 'construction so that it can be manufactured at reasonable cost and will stand up properly under extended use.

With these and other objects in view, the apparatus according to the present invention for chemically cleaning textiles or the like mainly comprises at least one device to be heated, and steam-generating means within the apparatus operatively connected to the device for heating the same by the steam produced by the steam-generating means. Preferably, the steam-generating means of the apparatus comprises electrical heating means and a closed circuit connected to the device to be heated and arranged in such a manner that, due to the temperature differences of portions of the apparatus through which the circuit extends, the heating medium is circulated in the circuit. More specifically, the steam-generating means comprises a water container to be filled with water up to a level which is located at an elevation lower than the device to be heated thereby and an electrical heating means in the container below the water level therein. In such cleaning apparatus the devices of the apparatus to be heated by the steam produced by the steam-generating means may be connected in parallel to each other or in series into the closed circuit of the steam-generating means. It is also possible to provide in the apparatus two steam-generating means which are respectively connected by closed circuits to the devices to be heated.

A cleaning apparatus according to the present invention comprises therefore its own steam-generating means which will assure the uniform heating of the various devices of the apparatus to be heated and which can be controlled and arranged in such a manner that an overheating of portions of the apparatus is positively avoided. Since the steam-generating means and the devices to be heated are connected to each other by a closed circuit, the apparatus according to the present invention will practically require no service. 'Replenishing of water will be necessary only after extended use of the apparatus, since practically no water can escape therefrom, except if the overpressure valve, with which the steam-generating means are provided for safety reasons, opens. Preferably, the steam-generatin g means is also provided with pressure-sensing means operatively connected to means for regulating the electrical energy supplied to the electrical heating means so that the necessary steam pressure for the proper heating of the various devices of the apparatus and the proper steamcondensate circulation will be automatically maintained.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to the present invention provided with a steam-generating means having an upright water container;

FIG. 2 is a schematic vie-w similar to FIG. 1 in which the water container of the steam-generating means is arranged in part at angle inclined to the vertical;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of an apparatus according to the present invention in which the devices to be heated are connected in parallel to the steam-generating means;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view similar to FIG. 3 in which the devices to be heated are connected in series to the steam-generating means; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a further embodiment according to the present invention in which two steamgenerating means are provided in the apparatus and respectively connected to two devices to be heated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIG. 1 of the same, it will be seen that the steamgenerating device which is built in the cleaning apparatus according to the present invention may comprise an elongated substantially vertically arranged water container 10 in the interior of which, preferably electrical, heating means 11 are arranged. The container 10 is filled up to an upper expansion and steam-collecting space 101 with water which is heated by the heating means 11 according to the principle of an immersion heater. A steam conduit 12 leads from the upper end of the upright container to a device of the cleaning apparatus to be heated, for instance a heating coil 13 from which a return conduit 14 leads to the bottom end of the container 10.

The water container is arranged in the apparatus of the present invention in such a manner that the water level 102 maintained therein is always located at an elevation which is lower than that of the device 13 to be heated by the steam developed in the steam-generating means '10 so that no water will accumulate in the device 13. An overpressure valve 15 for protecting the arrangement and a pressure-sensing means 16 are connected to the steam-collecting space 101 of the water container. Preferably, a control or regulating device 17 of known construction, not forming part of the present invention, is connected in a known manner to the pressure-sensing means 16 to regulate the electrical energy supplied to the electrical heating means 11 in dependence upon the pressure sensed by the pressure-sensing means 16.

The volume of the water container 10 and the position of the heating means within the container 10 have to be chosen in dependence on the size of the device to be heated and the volume of the closed circulation system in such a manner that during operation of the steamgenerating means the heating means 11 and eventually further heating means located in the container 10 are continuously surrounded with water. Depending on the amount of heat Withdrawn from the steam by the device to be heated, for instance by the heating coil 13, which amount will be subjected, depending on the temperature of the ambient air and depending on the amount of material placed for cleaning into the apparatus, to considerable variation, the steam fed into the device to be heated will be condensed either to above or to below the condensation point. The steam will condense latest in the return conduit 14, through which therefore water will continuously flow back into the water container 10.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a second embodiment according to the present invention which is provided with a water container 20 having a lower portion 201 in which the electrical heating means 11 are located and which is inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal. In this way the overall height of the container 20 is considerably reduced so that it may be used in cleaning apparatus in which the devices to be heated are arranged a relatively short distance from the base of the apparatus. Such a device may for instance be constituted by a distilling device 21 which receives steam from the upper steam-collecting space 202 of the container 20 through the steam conduit 22, Whereas the condensate is returned through a return conduit 23 into the lower end of the obliquely arranged portion 201 of the water container 20. The water level 203 of the water container 20 is again arranged at an elevation below the bottom end of the distilling device 21 so that water will not collect in this device.

FIGS. 3-5 schematically illustrate modifications of the above-described apparatus in which at least two devices are provided which are to be heated by the steam produced by the steam-generating means. Such devices may include a distilling apparatus of standard construction 24 and a drum 28 likewise of standard construction into which the material to be cleaned is put in a known manner. The distilling apparatus 24 is provided with a heating surface 25 and a heating coil 27 is arranged adjacent to the drum 28 to heat the contents of the latter. As shown in FIG. 3, steam collecting in the steam-collecting space 202 of a steam generating device 20, as described above in connection with FIG. 2, is fed through a conduit 32 into the heating surface or heating means 25 of the distilling device 24 to return from the heating means 25 through the conduit 32a into the lower end of the steamgenerating means 20. A branch conduit 32b is connected to the conduit 32 to feed steam also in the heating coil 27 and'the steam passing ther'ethrough condenses at least in the return conduit 32c which connects the lower end of the heating coil 27 to the bottom end of the steam generating device 20. Valves 33- are provided, as shown, in the various conduits which permit to separate the heating coil 27 or the heating means 25 from the steam generator 20, whenever it is desired to furnish steam only to the heating device 25 of the distilling device or to the heating coil 27 of the drum 28. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, the heating means 25 of the distilling device and the heating coil 27 of the drum 28 are therefore connected in parallel. FIG. 3 indicates also filter means 26 of standard construction connected to the distilling device 24, a condenser 29' for the solvent used in the apparatus connected to a water separator 30 for separating water from the solvent and tanks 31 for the solvent located in the base of the apparatus. These elements are of standard construction which does not form part of the present invention, and some of the necessary connections between the various elements, which are likewise of standard construction, are not indicated in the drawing for simplification reasons. All of the elements are enclosed in a common housing 37 schematically indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a further modification of the apparatus according to the present invention which contains substantially all the elements as described in connection with FIG. 3 in which, however, the heating coil 27 is connected in series with the heating means 25 of the distilling apparatus 24. As shown in FIG. 4, the steam collecting in the steam-collecting space 202 of the steam-generating means 20 is passed through the conduit 34 into the upper end of the heating coil 27 to leave the latter through the conduit 34a which connects the lower end of coil 25 to the heating means 25 of the distilling apparatus 24. A return conduit 34b connects the heating 25 with the bottom end of the steam generator 20. In this arrangement the steam generating means 20, the heating coil 27 and the heating means 25 connected to each other as shown in FIG. 4 form a closed circulating system through which steam will pass from the steam-collecting space 202 into the coil 27 and the heating means 25 whereas condensate will flow back into the lower end of the steam-generating means through the return conduit 34b.

FIG. 5 shows a further modification of an apparatus according to the present invention in which two separate steam-generating means 10 and 20 are arranged to respectively provide the heating steam for the heating coil 27 and for the heating means 25 of the distilling apparatus 24. As shown in FIG. 5, the steam-collecting space 101 of the steam-generating means 10, which may include an upright elongated water container, as described in connection with FIG. 1, is connected through the conduit 36 to the upper end of the heating coil 27, whereas the lower end of the latter is connected by the return conduit 36a to the bottom end of the steam-generating means 10. A separate steam-generating means 20, preferably of the form as described in connection with FIG. 2, is provided for heating the distilling apparatus 24 and the steam-collecting space 202 of the steam-generating means 20 is connected through a conduit 35 to the heating means 25 of the distilling apparatus 24, whereas the return conduit 35a leads from the heating means 25 to the bottom end of the steam-generating means 20.

The apparatus according to the present invention for chemically cleaning textiles is provided in all modifications shown with its own steam-generating means directly incorpor-ated in the apparatus so that the apparatus may be operated independently from a separate steam-generating means and so that the heat transferred to the various devices of the apparatus to be heated may be carried out in uniform manner without the danger of overheating certain portions of the devices to be heated. The efiiciency of the steam-generating means which are heated by electrical heating means located therein is very high so that with the apparatus according to the present invention a better efliciency of the supplied energy for heating the various devices of the apparatus is obtained than can be derived with similar apparatus known in the art which are connected to a separate outside-located steam-generating means.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of apparatus for chemically cleaning textiles or the like differing from the types.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for chemically cleaning textiles in which the apparatus is provided with its own steam-generating means incorporated therein, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for chemically cleaning textiles or the like comprising a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion; at least one device to be heated in said upper portion of said housing; steam-generating means in said lower portion of said housing and comprising a water container having an upper and a lower end to be filled with water up to a level which is located at an elevation lower than said upper end of said container and lower than the device to be heated by said steam-generating means and electrical heating means in said container below the water level therein so that upon energizing said electrical heating means steam will be formed in said container above said water level therein; and a closed circuit having a portion adjacent said device to be heated and being connected to said upper and said lower end of said container so that steam generated in said container will flow from said upper end into said closed circuit while condensate forming in the latter will return by gravity into said lower end of said container.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises two devices to be heated both arranged in said upper portion of said housing, and wherein said closed circuit comprises heating means adjacent one of said devices and a heating coil adjacent the other of said devices and conduit means connecting said heating means and said heating coil with said upper and lower ends of said water container.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said one device is a distilling device for distilling a solvent to be used in the apparatus and the other device is a drum adapted to receive material to be cleaned in said apparatus.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said conduit means connects said heating means and said heating coil in parallel to said upper and lower end of said container.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, and including valve means in said conduit means arranged to regulate flow of steam from said upper end of said container to said heating means adjacent said one device and to said heating coil adjacent the other device, so that each of said devices may be heated independently from the other.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said conduit means connects said heating means and said heating coil in series to said upper and said lower end of said container.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated water container has a lower portion which extends inclined at an oblique angle to the horizontal.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises at least two devices to be heated, said devices being connected in parallel into said closed circuit.

'9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises at least two devices to be heated, said devices being connected in series into said closed circuit.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including an overpressure valve and pressure-sensing means connected to said upper end of said water container, and means connected to said pressure-sensing means for regulating the electrical energy supplied to said electrical heating means in dependence on the pressure sensed by said pressure sensing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

